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Study Section 16: The illegal Trials of Jesus

16.1 Connect.

Do you remember when you were kids and your folks gave you a gift, but your brother or sister
got a bigger or nicer gift? We would complain, “That’s not fair!” We said this out of selfish
desires to have the nicer or bigger gift for ourselves.

Jesus was tempted just like we are, yet He never sinned. Imagine how tempting it would be,
when being falsely accused, to at least speak up and justify yourself. Jesus endured four trials in the
night before He was crucified. Two of them were before the religious leaders and both of these trials
were totally illegal --- against the laws of the Jews. He also endured two trials before the Romans and
was found innocent of any crimes … yet He was crucified. The whole ordeal was totally UNFAIR! But
Jesus did not care about fairness. He came to lay His life down voluntarily for our sins. So He went to
the slaughter as a lamb who said nothing. Let’s walk in His shoes today….

16.2 Objectives.

1. The student should be able to propose that the harmonization of the Gospels reveals six denials
of Peter.

2. The student should be able to explain why many of the reasons why the Jewish trials of Jesus
were totally illegal.

3. The student should be able to justify why Pilate was willing to crucify Jesus even when He found Him
innocent of all crimes.

16.3 The Illegal Trial before the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:54, Matthew 26:57, Mark 14:53
and John 18:12, John 18:15-18 and Luke 22:54; John 18:13-14, John 18:19-24, Matthew 26:59-
66 and Mark 14:55-64, Matthew 26:67-68, Mark 14:65 and Luke 22:63-65; Matthew 26:69-
75, Mark 14:66-72, John 18:25-27 and Luke 22:55-60; Luke 22:61-62 and Luke 22:66-71)

The religious leaders had made elaborate plans to arrest and convict and even execute Jesus
BEFORE the city awoke. They performed their dastardly deeds while it was yet dark lest the
people rise and revolt in His defense. Immediately after being arrested, Jesus was taken to
the home of Caiaphas on the Western Hill of Jerusalem, near the “upper room”. From there,
various illegal trials occurred.

John followed the fake trial processions from the Western Hill across the city to Fort Antonia near the
Temple, across the city again to Herod’s palace, then back to Fort Antonia. Peter, professing his
allegiance to the Lord twice when told he would deny Christ, followed at a distance. Peter was unable
to gain entrance into a courtyard until John spoke a word on his behalf. By this means, Peter was in the
admitted to the courtyard in the cool of the night.

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